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A small male hybrid Bengal tiger cub, named Moka, receives a health check at Paul Harter Veterinary Hospital at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Credit: San Diego Zoo GlobalHigher Quality Version of Image

Big Cat Rescued From Smugglers Celebrates Tiger Day in New Home

July 27, 2018

July 29 is Global Tiger Day, and this year, a hybrid Bengal tiger will have something special to celebrate. Seized from smugglers attempting to enter the United States 11 months ago, the tiger now has a permanent home at a sanctuary in California. While the U.S. Department of Justice was successfully prosecuting the smugglers, the Service, with many partners, helped the tiger recover from the smuggling ordeal and found it a permanent home.

A small male hybrid Bengal tiger cub, named Moka, receives a health check at Paul Harter Veterinary Hospital at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Credit: San Diego Zoo GlobalHigher Quality Version of Image

Snowy Plover Chicks Fledge at Popular Beach in California for First Time in Decades

July 27, 2018

For the first time in more than 50 years, two pairs of federally threatened western snowy plovers nested, nurtured and successfully fledged four chicks at one of the most popular public beaches in California – Huntington State Beach in Orange County.

Walrus “haul out” near Point Lay. Walruses are adapted to life in the ocean and on sea ice. On land, their large girth and short flippers make movement laborious. Credit: NOAAHigher Quality Version of Image

In late summer or early fall, as many as 40,000 Pacific walruses come ashore near Point Lay, a small Inupiaq village in the northwest reaches of Alaska. This spectacle draws other seasonal visitors, too: reporters and curiosity-seekers. With help from the Service, the Alaska Native tribe in Point Lay helps monitor and safeguard the giant mammals.

Walrus “haul out” near Point Lay. Walruses are adapted to life in the ocean and on sea ice. On land, their large girth and short flippers make movement laborious. Credit: NOAAHigher Quality Version of Image

Joonya Lopez is the owner and operator of Whisper Charters, an eco-friendly option for visitors to enjoy southern sea otters and other wildlife of Elkhorn Slough in a safe, natural and minimally invasive way. Credit: Hazel Rodriguez/USFWSHigher Quality Version of Image

Nature's Good Neighbors: Sea Otters Lure the World to Tiny Coastal Town

July 20, 2018

The return of southern sea otters to parts of the central California coast like Elkhorn Slough has meant a boost in visitors — a boost to the tiny town’s local economy, too. People from across the globe make the trek to the central California coast to explore the slough and see the sea otters.

Joonya Lopez is the owner and operator of Whisper Charters, an eco-friendly option for visitors to enjoy southern sea otters and other wildlife of Elkhorn Slough in a safe, natural and minimally invasive way. Credit: Hazel Rodriguez/USFWSHigher Quality Version of Image

Service and NOAA Fisheries Seek Public Input on Proposed Reforms to Improve & Modernize Implementation of the Endangered Species Act

July 19, 2018

Continuing efforts to improve how the Endangered Species Act is implemented, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries today proposed revisions to certain regulations to ensure clarity and consistency. The changes incorporate public input, best science and best practices to improve reliability, regulatory efficiency and environmental stewardship.

Texas Refuge Has the Cure for the Summertime Blues

July 18, 2018

Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in south Texas have come up with an awesome way to help local youth fight those summertime blues. Refuge Ranger Raul Garza and a local youth and recreation center partnered to create a Youth Outdoor Skills program. The course brings backyard fishing and archery to youth, many for the first time.

Piping plovers on the beach at New York’s Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge, one of 180 coastal national wildlife refuges. Credit: USFWSHigher Quality Version of Image

Beach, Wildlife and You

July 11, 2018

The beach is a place to bask in the sun, relax to the rhythm of the surf and tune out for a while. If you tune in, though, there’s more than meets the eye: Piping plovers moving in and out with the waves. Crabs scurrying about. Sea turtle paths tracking to and from the ocean. Even the sand itself.

A Great Day for Ducks and Geese: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Unveils New Federal Duck Stamp and Junior Duck Stamp

June 29, 2018

Mallards and emperor geese were the stars of the show today as the 2018-2019 Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp – commonly known as the Duck Stamp – went on sale. Since 1934, sales of this stamp have raised more than $1 billion to protect more than 5.7 million acres of wetlands habitat on national wildlife refuges around the nation. The 2018-2019 Junior Duck Stamp also went on sale today and supports youth conservation education.

Bog turtles measure up to 4 inches and can be most easily identified by a mahogany-colored shell and bright yellow-orange blotches on both sides of the head. Credit: Leah Hawthorne/USFWSHigher Quality Version of Image

Nature's Good Neighbors: Dairy Farmer Brings Together Turtles and Cows

June 29, 2018

The Service worked on conservation easements that helped a New York dairy farmer become steward of a large population of bog turtles, a threatened species. They also gave him, and his cows, his pastures back after invasion by non-native plants. And by putting easements on 60 acres of his property, he put some extra cash back in his pocket.

Bog turtles measure up to 4 inches and can be most easily identified by a mahogany-colored shell and bright yellow-orange blotches on both sides of the head. Credit: Leah Hawthorne/USFWSHigher Quality Version of Image

Have a Mouthwatering Pollinator Week

June 27, 2018

Today is the start of National Pollinator Week. Pollinators are a vital part of not only nature but also farming. The economic value of native pollinators in the United States is estimated at $3 billion a year, but they do it for FREE! Let’s meet some favorite summer foods and their pollinators.

Trails for Non-Hikers

June 27, 2018

You don’t have to be a hiker to enjoy trails on national wildlife refuges. A slew of refuge paths — including art trails, nature trails and scat trails (yes, scat trails) —will entertain you without making you break a sweat. The 50th anniversary this year of the National Trails System Act is a good time to discover them.

Rancher Frank Imhof stands in a field as cattle graze nearby. Credit: Rancher Frank Imhof Sr. grazes his cattle at the Warm Springs Unit of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.Higher Quality Version of Image

Nature's Good Neighbors: Grazing Operation at Refuge is a ‘Cud’ Above

June 22, 2018

Through an agreement between the Imhof family and the Fish and Wildlife Service, the ranching family graze their cattle on non-native grasses at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Fremont, California. With this arrangement, they’re keeping alive a ranching heritage in a densely populated area. The grazing, in turn, offers a host of benefits for wildlife.

Rancher Frank Imhof stands in a field as cattle graze nearby. Credit: Rancher Frank Imhof Sr. grazes his cattle at the Warm Springs Unit of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge.Higher Quality Version of Image

Service wildlife inspectors examine passenger baggage with Customs officers at Los Angeles International Airport. Credit: USFWSHigher Quality Version of Image

Snakes, songbirds and monkeys are just a few live species law enforcement officers from around the globe intercepted during Operation Thunderstorm. They also found shells, skins and other parts of protected species, and dangerous injurious species such as the giant African land snails, which were seized in New York.

Young Artist Finds her Muse at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

June 14, 2018

A college art student not normally one for the outdoors was sent on a voyage of discovery when she drew a challenging class project: illustrate the “Big Six” uses of national wildlife refuges—hunting, fishing, photography, wildlife observation, education and interpretation. She found her inspiration during a visit to Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Washington; her illustrations might now inspire you.